Haysden Country Park - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

It was a simple fort of earth and timber, thrown up – like hundreds of others – by Norman invaders for self-protection soon after they arrived in 1066. The walls and magnificent gatehouse were added in the 13th century. The defences were badly damaged after the Civil War and it was further demolished in the 1730's although the lower part of the southern walls are still visible along the river. The site was purchased by the local council in 1900, who now use the mansion as offices, and who made t

Penshurst Place is an authentic stately home with 11 acres of formal gardens and a beautiful historic house. It is the ancestral home of the Sidney family, and was the birthplace of the great Elizabethan poet, courtier and soldier, Sir Philip Sidney. The original medieval house is one of the most complete surviving examples of 14th-century domestic architecture in England. Part of the house and its gardens are open for public viewing. Many TV shows and movies have been filmed at Penshurst.

Dunorlan Park was originally a 78-acre landscape garden of a grand mansion built by the Yorkshire-born merchant Henry ReedIt was a special place where everyone can enjoy a richly varied Victorian garden, meadows, and wildlife, as well as the amenities of a modern park. There’s plenty to do besides admire the grounds, however – the park has a putting green, an events field, and a welcoming cafe, and, in the summer, boating takes place on the lake. There are also so many things to see and do here.

Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, near Sevenoaks, Kent is an i9conic attraction in this area. There are over 12 acres of historic gardens to explore, punctuated with contemporary sculpture, as well as woodland paths, breathtaking views and plenty of benches for quiet moments. Home to the Rogers family since 1840, these family-run gardens offer visitors space to explore, gardens to admire and excuses to celebrate.

hiddingstone Castle is an historic house, set in 35 acres of Kentish countryside. It features large lawns for picnics, an intimate rose garden, woodland and a beautiful fishing lake. The house features the amazing collections of the late Denys Eyre Bower, a passionate and gifted collector of art and artefacts, Japanese lacquer and Samurai armour, Ancient Egyptian treasures, Buddhist objects, Stuart paintings and Jacobite manuscripts.

Take a steam train ride through the beautiful Wealden countryside from Tunbridge Wells to High Rocks, Groombridge and Eridge. The Spa Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway that runs from Tunbridge Wells West railway station in Tunbridge Wells to High Rocks, Groombridge.